Risk your life or pay Rs 10 to take the metro in Badli

Badli residents were a happy lot last year when the metro line was extended to their village in outer Delhi, unaware that they would have to risk their lives or shell out an additional Rs 10 for each ride.

Badli residents were a happy lot last year when the metro line was extended to their village in outer Delhi, unaware that they would have to risk their lives or shell out an additional Rs 10 for each ride.

The metro station was constructed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) next to the Badli railway station and is used by about 10,000 commuters each day. But a majority of the residents live on the other side of the railway station, making the trip to the metro station a risky proposition.

“To get into the metro, we either have to purchase a platform ticket, which costs Rs 10 — [and which most people] avoid — or risk our lives by crossing the railway track. The railway police often conduct raids to check whether we have an authorised [platform] ticket to enter the railway station,” said Shri Krishan Mudgal, a resident of Yadav Nagar in Badli. “The metro was supposed to help us with connectivity, but it is a risky affair now.”

Mudgal’s son and daughter-in-law work at Connaught Place and have to cross the railway track to get to work every day.

The metro station has an entrance only on one side, for Rohini residents, and a foot-over-bridge to make it accessible from Badli exists only on paper. The Janhit Prayas Samiti, a local NGO, has raised this issue on several platforms but the project is yet to take off.

“This station is constructed on the Rohini side of the railway line of Northern Railway and there is no provision for passengers living in areas such as Yadav Nagar, Samaipur, Shivpuri, Siraspur and Libaspur to go to the other side of railway line. We have witnessed a few accidents as well,” said Hitesh Sharma, a local working with the NGO.

It is most dangerous during peak hours, from 8:30 to 10 am, when three local trains arrive at the railway station and a mad rush for the metro station ensues.

“A plan is at an advanced stage for building a foot-over-bridge at Samaypur Badli. However, this involves approvals and coordination with the railway authorities and the public works department, [and also] some financial issues. The matter is under the active consideration of all the concerned authorities,” said a DMRC spokesperson.

The construction of the bridge would bring much-needed relief to the locals, who are forced to walk for 20 minutes to reach the station that is barely five minutes from their homes.

“A FOB bypassing the railway station would help us and it should have the facility of escalator to help senior citizens,” said Dipak Kumar, who travels to Noida for work.

The 4.39 km-long extension of the Yellow line from Jahangirpuri to Samaypur Badli began operating in November last year.